from First Congregational Church, Albuquerque:

A group from our church went to Santa Fe for the Ecumenical Advocacy Ministry Day. This event is sponsored by Lutheran Advocacy Ministry to educate people of faith about issues facing the legislature. We learned more about Health Care in New Mexico and Negative Impacts of Taxing Food. There are many ways to act on our faith. Legislation and Advocacy is one way we do that. Some of the “takeaways” for our group included:

“Faith and advocacy are inherently linked in the life and teaching of Jesus and in our lives as
people of faith. Participating in coordinated, intentional efforts to address the root causes of injustice are critically important. To really support and love our neighbors we must work to transform political and economic systems that harm others. Our faith is a call to action. To try to love each other as Jesus did, means working for justice.”

“Incarnational Advocacy – showing up in the flesh for the sake of my neighbor.
• Face to face to those in power/to the scribes and Pharisees of today.
• In the public square rallies and marches.
• Side by side with my struggling or marginalized neighbor.”

Thanks to Sharon Littrell, Laurie Magill, Ben Wakashige, Lilly Irvin-Vitela, and Sue Joiner who
represented First Congregational and to Conference Minister Bill Lyons who joined us for this event.